https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:25:31 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/paged/2/#post-341930 Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:16:37 +0000
how much do you charge for one of those amps?
Or, have you thought of making just a tube preamp?

R Last question first, yeah, I've given some serious thought on a couple stomp-box style and boxed ala old Fender external reverbs + boost, meant for between guitar and amp input. Obtaining the build funds is a slow, painful process being on SS disability. I do a great impersonation of a church-mouse! :lol:

As to price for an amp like the one pictured, I build per-order at this point which allows for many options as to filter & signal capacitor style/brand, PT and OT brand, etc etc. An amp like the one pictured built with medium-price choices would be around $650 with a Tolex head-cab. Having me do a lacquered-tweed cab is $50 extra, as it is a lot of work to get right.

Here's a better pic.

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h103/stratman_el84/Testament%20MK%20I/Testament6.jpg

Up to now, I've done nearly all my business locally and haven't done an amp build for anyone long-distance. I would hesitate to do a mail-order/web-order at this point, as my non-existent finances require I get build money up front, build the amp, test and then tweak the amp with the customers' input on tone here at my bench. I'm not sure how I can translate or modify that process to fit doing mail-order/web-order unless I can manage to get ahead enough to be able to do a few "stock" builds and have them completed and in stock for shipping. Even then, there's still the loss of ability to sit the customer down with a guitar and one of his speaker cabs and sub some selected parts' values to suit taste. That's a large part of my service and what I think is a major advantage.

So, the struggle goes on as do I in my posts sometimes. :lol:

I'm currently working on two more amp heads identical in cab size, panel layouts, etc to the MK-I. PEC pots, cloth wire, and tagboard-style construction. I may add a low-power and/or triode-mode switch(es) on the rear panel. Still undecided. One head will be covered in cream tolex as the cab is here and ready. I haven't invested in a second cab as yet.

These two builds are where all my current capital is at. The major difference is, the MK-II uses a pair of cathode-biased 6L6's, KT66's, or EL34's in place of the EL84's. I'm not sure if it will be feasible to swap out all those tubes or just certain combinations. I may end up building for only one type. I'll have to see how the amp behaves during testing and decide if I want to go to a tube-type switch or something in the event that testing reveals issues swapping tubes. The preamp is the same design as the MK-I with a couple minor modifications to better-suit the different output section.

I expect power out should be around 30 watts depending on power tube type with the iron I'm using in these first two prototypes. Again, these use SS rectifiers as the MK-I does to improve headroom and punch, being a lower-powered amp. Judging by the performance of the MK-I, the MK-II's should be extremely punchy for their rated power output and capable of playing larger blues clubs and small to medium-size outdoor events with appropriate speaker/cab choices under reasonable conditions & expectations. Heck, the MK-I with EL84's gets plenty loud for most venues I play already, and I've used it outdoors with great results through a Marshall 1965A 4x10 slant-front cab.

Same deal as the MK-I in that these aren't going to be "gain-banger" amps and aren't really designed for metal/thrash; think blues and classic rock club amp with great clean tone and sufficient headroom while still breaking up at reasonable levels to prevent washing-out the stage mix and blasting bandmates (and yourself) into severe and early hearing loss and angering too many club-owners.


Strat]]> Live Sound stratman_el84 https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/paged/2/#post-341930 https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-341921 Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:02:54 +0000
how much do you charge for one of those amps?
Or, have you thought of making just a tube preamp?

R]]> Live Sound rectiflyer https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-341921 https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-283816 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 19:32:36 +0000
"Sick sick sick tone! I kind of figured since there are no tone controls, that you'd be stuck with whatever your guitar is putting out. Turns out that's what makes it so simple and badass. It's got OODLES of creamy tube goodness that I've never heard coming out of ANY amp. And for 20 watts, that little **** is LOUD!"

Keep in mind, that he heard the amp through a pair of crappy Crate 12's that I brought to the jam, NOT the 4-10 Marshall cab pictured above, which I used when we actually gigged at Cruisers Pub! Using that 4-10 Marshall cab, I actually got told to turn down, and that's only a 20 WATT AMP!!. :shock: (That venue has really loud bands play there too, and we weren't at our lowest or highest volumes as a group, so I was actually shocked!)

Cheers!

Strat]]> Live Sound stratman_el84 https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-283816 https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-283161 Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:50:00 +0000
Dan]]> Live Sound Dan T. https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-283161 https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-283109 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 22:28:22 +0000 and if so, whats your asking price?
thanks,peace]]> Live Sound Full hollow https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-283109 https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-282866 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:07:34 +0000
Great looking amp, Strat!]]> Live Sound MrJonesey https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-282866 https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-282848 Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:16:40 +0000 Live Sound Ricochet https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-282848 https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-282843 Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:06:18 +0000
Nice looking amp.]]> Live Sound Hyperborea https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-282843 https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-282822 Wed, 27 Feb 2008 20:48:06 +0000 Live Sound stratman_el84 https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-282822 https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-282816 Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:43:39 +0000 Live Sound Ricochet https://guitarnoise.forum/live-sound/first-testament-mk-i-20-watt-amp-complete/#post-282816